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Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Dye Project: Multiple Lichens (Heat Extraction)

For this project, I'm dyeing with an unknown mix of multiple lichens that I harvested on our property in 2020 and kept in the freezer. Lichens are a composite of algae or cyanobacteria living among fungi species (with yeast being a possible third partner). They live together in a mutualistic relationship. Lichens can produce brilliant dyes in many shades, depending on the fiber or fabric and the dye method used. Dye methods include fermenting in ammonia, boiling in water, and photo-oxidizing. 


Lichen mixture from our property

Since the type or mix of lichens is unknown, I'm not sure what color to expect, if any. However, looking back at my research notes at the time, possible lichen types may include:

  • Common greenshield lichen (Flavoparmelia caperata) - produces earthy tones ranging from lemon yellow, gold, and butterscotch to warm orange-brown, tan, and dark brown using the boiling method.

  • Oakmoss lichen (Evernia prunastri) - produces yellow, tan, or bronze using the boiling method. 

The lichen may produce a nice earthy brown color, or may not produce any color at all. But, it will free up some freezer space!


Lichen is a composite organism of fungi and algae


Key Supplies

I'm using my usual dye equipment, including a convection burner, a non-reactive stainless steel dye pot, candy thermometer, strainer, cheese cloth, various plastic pails and containers for soaking and rinsing, a digital kitchen scale, stir stick, a mild pH-neutral soap (such as Synthropol or Professional Textile Detergent), rubber gloves, and a face mask. Additional supplies and equipment:

  • Lichen: I collected the lichen from all over our yard about six and a half years ago and froze it. At the time we had many types of lichen in our landscape, so the collection is a hodge-podge.

  • pH test strips: to test how acidic or alkaline the dye bath is.

  • Fabric: 100% protein fibers like wool or silk (as with dyeing with mushrooms, protein fibers respond better than cellulose). I'm using a silk scarf and a silk/wool blend scarf from Dharma Trading, both of which have been scoured and mordanted with alum. For details, see Dye Project: Preparing Protein Fabric (Scour &  Mordant). Note that you do not need to mordant fabric or fiber when dyeing with lichen, since lichens produce light and colorfast dyes. 
    • The silk scarf weighs 1 ounce or 28 grams.
    • The silk/wool blend scarf weighs .7 ounces or 20 grams.

  • pH Modifiers: Use modifiers to make the dye bath more acidic or alkaline, and change the color outcome. I plan to add some white vinegar as a modifier for this project (in addition to the alum pre-mordant the scarves received). 


Collecting the Lichen

Lichen is very slow-growing, so collect it responsibly. It is typically considered ethical to gather lichen that has been dislodged from its habitat, unless other restrictions apply. Only collect lichen that has fallen naturally from trees or rocks to protect the ecosystem, and only collect what you need.


A collection of lichen from our yard, gathered in 2020


Dyeing the Fabric

 Dyeing fabric with lichen is very similar to dyeing with plants or mushrooms. Bring the dye bath to a simmer, pre-soak the silk or wool fabric or fiber in warm water, add the fabric to the dye pot, and simmer. As with mushrooms, one caveat when working with protein fiber is to make sure the temperature difference is very similar when going from one pot to another.

As with mushrooms, delayed rinsing improves color and light fastness. Casselman recommends that with lichen-dyed fibers, it is essential to cool the yarn before rinsing. Lichen-dyed fibers are more color and light fast if they are not rinsed for at least 24 hours; this stabilizes the dye and prevents after-dye runoff. She describes her technique for delaying rinsing in Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book (see "Dye Bath", page 27):

... first leave the fiber in the ammonia or boiled water dye bath to cool for 24 hours. Then, remove the fiber, place it in a colander over a pail and leave it another 24 hours. (What you collect can be reused.) After two days, rinse the fiber (which may be completely dry) in cold water. Even with dark colors, there will be very little dye run off, and your reward is improved fastness.

To prepare the dye bath, rinse the lichen to clean it and place it in a clean non-reactive pot. Cover the lichen with water and soak it overnight (24-36 hours). After 24 hours, I tested the lichen water and the pH registered 5 (moderately acid).


Cover the lichen with water and soak overnight


Add a splash of vinegar to the lichen and water in the non-reactive pot. I decided to add 1/4 cup of vinegar after watching the Wolf lichen video posted by Myra Made Color. In the video, Dorothy Beebee made the comment that when the dye bath registers pH 4, the acid releases pigment. I'm not sure if this is a universal principal or just true for Wolf lichen, but it seemed to be the case with the lichen fermentation project (see Dye Project: Lace Lichen (Fermentation). After adding the vinegar, I tested the lichen water and the pH registered between 3 and 4 (moderately acid).

Bring the temperature of the dye bath to 150 to 180 °F. This typically takes about 30-60 minutes. I followed Casselman's recommendation to bring the temperature to a maximum of 180 °F (82 °C), and maintain the temperature for 10 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 160 °F (70 °C) and continue to heat gently for one hour, without boiling. While the dye bath is coming to temperature, pre-soak your wool or silk in warm water. This improves how the fabric takes up the dye.


Pre-soak the fabric in warm water


Add the fabric to the simmering dye pot and stir to distribute evenly. I decided not to strain out the lichen for this project. Casselman describes cooking the fabric right in with the lichen for more color, as does Dorothy Beebee, so I'm  going to give that a try. Add more water to cover the fabric if necessary. This will not dilute the dye; it just ensures better distribution of the dye to the fabric. Let simmer for about an hour, keeping the temperature between 150 to 180 °F. I tried to keep it at 160 degrees °F.


The lichen has dropped to the bottom of the pot leaving an interesting shade of brown dye

Scarves simmering in the dye pot


Remove the dye pot from the heat, and use the delayed rinsing technique recommended by Casselman in Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book. Leave the fiber in the dye bath to cool for 24 hours. Then, remove the fiber, place it in a colander over a pail and leave it another 24 hours. Any dye you collect can be reused.


Letting the dye set (heat extracted lichen dye bath)


After two days, rinse the fiber (which may be completely dry) in cold water. I ran the fabric through the washing machine to rinse, using cold water and no detergent. Note that the many bits of lichen washed away nicely. Hang to dry.

Two weeks later, wash with a mild pH-neutral soap, such as Synthropol or Professional Textile Detergent, to wash out any unbound dye. Air dry out of direct sunlight. The resulting color is a lovely honey gold.


The Results

The final result of dyeing with our unknown lichen was a lovely honey gold (or butterscotch). The color appears darker when the fabric is wet, but is still pleasing as the silk and silk/wool blend fabric dries.


Left: unknown lichen mix (heat extract, acidic dye bath, silk/wool blend)
Right: unknown lichen mix (heat extract, acidic dye bath, silk)


Even though the dye liquor looks a bit like dirty dish water, I decided to store the unused dye for a future dye project. I filtered out the lichen pieces and discarded them, and labeled the jars for future use.


Filter out the lichen pieces from the dye liquor

Store the dye liquor for future projects


Learn More

  • Byrd, Margaret. "How to Make Natural Dyes with Lichen". Color Quest, December 9, 2022. Good overview, which includes information about the fermentation and boiling water methods, as well as a photo-oxidized method (ammonia bath, color emerges when fiber is removed from the bath). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaYI7U7ZHEU

  • Casselman, Karen Diadick. Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book (Dover Publications, 2001). Second edition of the original, published by Studio Vista Publications, 1996. This slim book is packed with information (see Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book).

  • "How to Make a Natural Dye Using Lichens". Myra Made Color (June 4, 2022). Myra uses Wolf lichen (Letharia vulpina) to dye 100% wool, no mordant, using the water boil dye process. BeeBee made an interesting comment that when the dye bath registers pH 4, the acid releases pigment. I'm not sure if this is a universal principal or just true for Wolf lichen, but worth exploring. https://youtu.be/RUUeAX4D1uE

  • McDonnel, Zoe. "Introduction to Dyeing with Lichens", Wildcraft Dyeing (June 28, 2021). Lichens and what you need to know to get started on natural dyeing with lichens. McDonnel discusses the two types of dyeing (boiled water method and ammonia/fermentation method). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8KfXIIUB_M


Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Field Notes for September 2026

Welcome back to Field Notes!


September 1, 2026

OTHG Hike to Brickyard Cove. Mari, Gaymond and I kicked off September with a hike at the McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, which is operated by the East Bay Regional Park District. According to signage, the Park was created "from a patchwork of landfills and abused salt marshes" and is now a place that "nurtures native plants, wildlife, and the spirit of all who visit here".  We met up with the Over-the-Hills Gang at Brickyard Cove near Berkeley, California for the hike, led by Anthony Fisher. 


Brickyard Cove staging area

Berkeley Meadow Habitat Restoration


We walked through the Berkeley Meadow Habitat Restoration area. It is fenced on both sides for protection. From what we could see, the areas is rebounding really well. Land as well as people need restorative break!


View across the San Pablo Bay

View of San Pablo Bay with Mount Tam in the distance (photo by Mari)

Cookie break at the half-way point


Past the restoration area, we followed the shoreline and enjoyed the views of the bay. We had our usual cookie break at the half-way point (ginger cookies and several kinds of Girl Scout cookies). Gaymond, Mari and I finished up the hike at the nearby Thai Table in Berkeley over delicious food and great conversation. Check the website for information about upcoming hikes with this wonderful group.


Intrepid hikers at Brickyard Cove (photo by Gaymond)

Delicious Thai food to restore our strength


September 3, 2026

Fabulous Views from Brickyard Cove. I usually report on the flora and fauna that we see on our Over-the-Hills Gang hikes, but this time I want to call out all the great views we saw!


From this spot we could see the Port of Oakland as well as San Francisco across the Bay
 
From another place we could see the Marina Bay area where we hiked last time

From yet another location we could see Albany Hill and the USPS Distribution Center


September 6, 2026  🌞

Heat Wave! We are in the midst of a heat wave here in the Bay Area. I realize the temperature is nothing compared to other places in the country, but we're use to lovely, cool, marine temperatures most of the time. Our family has been living out on our covered patio, gathered around the patio table with the sun shades down. Ice cold watermelon and fruity popsicles help!

 

September 9, 2026 🧁

Happy Birthday to Bobo the Husky! Bobo turns six today, but had an appointment with the vet to update his vaccines. Bobo was a trooper and enjoyed the car ride, a walk around the block, hanging out in the air conditioned facility, and drinking lots of water. Don't worry, we plan to make him a hamburger "cake" for a real celebration later!


Thirsty Bobo makes himself at home

Later: Bobo's hamburger "cake" frosted with mashed sweet potato,
and decorated with milk bones and blueberries


September 12, 2026  🆒⛅ 

Back to Normal. Thankfully, we're back to our cooler weather here in the Bay Area. The temperature sometimes spikes at midday, but then cools off nicely in the late afternoon. This is our Mediterranean climate at work. We get our hot weather in September and October, while parts of the rest of the country are starting to cool off. I can feel fall around the edges though! 


September 16, 2026

OTHG Hike to Hayward Shoreline. Yesterday Mari and I joined the Over-the-Hills Gang hike to Hayward Shoreline Regional Park, led by Anthony Fisher. (Gaymond is on a bus tour of some of the favorite National Parks). The group met at the Grant Avenue entrance and parking lot, and headed north to join up with the San Francisco Bay Trail along the shoreline.


Heading north on the Bay Trail

Exploring along the trail


We hiked through the wetlands and along the shoreline, and enjoyed views of the bay. I'm slowly piecing together the patchwork of shoreline parks that we've been visiting, to gain a broader picture of the vast San Francisco Bay environment. Each park has its unique view, as well as shared views from a slightly different vantage point. We are so fortunate here in the bay area to have access to protected areas by the bay for wildlife and recreation.


Hiking through the wetlands

Cookie break at the half-way point


We had our usual cookie break at the half-way point (ginger and lemon cookies). Mari and I finished up the hike at the nearby Minami Sushi in San Leandro over delicious bento boxes and great conversation. Check the website for information about upcoming hikes with this wonderful group.


Intrepid hikers at Hayward Shoreline (photo by Mari)


September 19, 2026

Fauna and Whale Bones at Hayward Shoreline. We saw so many interesting things on our OTHG hike at Hayward Shoreline Regional Park. The wetlands area is a perfect place for bird watching, and we saw American coots, egrets, herons, seagulls, sandpipers, stilts, and hawks. Fall migration has started, so we'll see many more birds over the next several months. We also saw some California horn snails (Cerithidea californica) on the mudflats, and learned that local indigenous people would eat the snails as a quick snack, by breaking off the tip and sucking out the snail (Sushi style)!


Egret in the salt marsh

Shore birds feeding as the tide comes in

California horn snails on the mudflats


We also saw the skeletal remains of a whale. Several vertebrae and rib bones had washed up on the beach. A quick look online revealed that in May 2026 a 12 meter adult male gray whale had washed up on the San Leandro shoreline, just north of the Hayward Shoreline Regional Park near the Bay Trail. Hated to see that a whale had died, but it was so interesting to see its remains!


Remains of a gray whale

Bridge over the rising tide


September 22, 2026 🍂

Fall Equinox. Today is the first day of fall! Time to pull out a fall-themed puzzle and shift gears for the new season.


Time to shift to a few more inside hobbies!









Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Dye Project: Lace Lichen (Fermentation)

For this project, I'm dyeing with lichen. Lichens are comprised of both fungi and algae living together as symbiotic biological entities. Lichens can produce brilliant dyes—in shades of yellow, orange, ochre, russet, brown, copper, bronze, olive, true green, pink, mauve, violet, red, rose, magenta, purple, and blues—depending on the fiber and dye method used. Three dye methods include fermenting in ammonia, boiling in water, and photo-oxidizing.

I'm using Lace Lichen, also known as Fishnet Lichen (Ramalina menziesii), the official state lichen of California. I plan to use the lichen and ammonia dye bath that I have been fermenting over the last four months and a protein-based silk scarf. I'm not sure what to expect—the dye may produce shades of olive-yellow to pale tan to buff tones, or shades of purple or pink.


Lace Lichen growing on a tree in Mendocino, California


Key Supplies

I'm using my usual dye equipment, including a convection burner, a non-reactive stainless steel dye pot, candy thermometer, strainer, cheese cloth, various plastic pails and containers for soaking and rinsing, a digital kitchen scale, stir stick, a mild pH-neutral soap (such as Synthropol or Professional Textile Detergent), rubber gloves, and a face mask. Additional supplies and equipment:

  • Lichen: Lace Lichen, also known as Fishnet Lichen (Ramalina menziesii). I collected the lichen on our trip to Mendocino in the spring.

Lichen downfall after a big wind in Mendocino

  • Glass jars with secure lids: for fermenting. I used two 4-cup jars. The lid for one of my jars was not very secure, so I lost a little of the dye liquid over time as I agitated the jar. The loss wasn't enough to transfer it to a new jar, but I'll make sure the lids are more secure in the next project.
  • Ammonia: combine equal parts of clear ammonia and water (1:1 ratio) to create the fermentation bath.
  • pH test strips: to test how alkaline or acidic the dye bath is.
  • Fabric: 100% protein fibers like wool or silk (as with dyeing with mushrooms, protein fibers respond better to lichen than cellulose fibers). I'm using a silk scarf from Dharma Trading, which has been scoured and mordanted with alum. For details, see Dye Project: Preparing Protein Fabric (Scour &  Mordant). The scarf weighs 1 ounce or 28 grams. Note that you do not need to mordant fabric or fiber when dyeing with lichen, since lichens produce light and colorfast dyes.
  • pH Modifiers: I hadn't planned to use any additional modifiers for this project, other than the scarf that is pre-mordanted with alum. I wanted to try the basics first. But I did end up adding a modifier to make the dye bath more acidic, and change the color outcome. See below!


Collecting the Lichen

Lichen is very slow-growing, so it should be collected responsibly. It is typically considered ethical to gather lichen that has been dislodged from its habitat, unless other restrictions apply. Only collect lichen that has fallen naturally from trees or rocks to protect the ecosystem, and only collect what you need.

I collected the lichen while on our trip to Mendocino, California in March. A big wind caused lichen downfall from the trees, so I was able to collect quite a bit from various locations. See Field Notes for March 2026, the March 9 entry.


Lace Lichen gathered from multiple sites in Mendocino


Fermenting the Dye

Fermentation extracts the color pigment from the lichen over a 3-16 week period. Ammonia fermentation is best for lichen that produces purples or pinks. According to Zoe McDonnel from Wildcraft Dyeing, you can test whether your lichen produces purples or pinks by dropping a few drops of bleach on it; if it turns purple or pink, fermentation is the best technique to use. I tested the Lace Lichen with a few drops of bleach but got no reaction. I'm going to use the fermentation method anyway, but am not sure what color will be produced. Possibly shades of olive-yellow to pale tan or buff tones with protein fibers like wool and silk.

Before you start, clean off any dirt or twigs from the lichen to ensure that they don't influence the dye color. Then, prepare the dye vat. Place the dried, crumbled lichen in a jar, filling it roughly half-full. I filled two 4-cup jars half-full with the clean lichen. Cover the lichen with a 50/50 mixture of water and household ammonia.


Lace Lichen fermenting in ammonia and water


Seal the jar and store in a warm place for 3–16 weeks. I started the fermenting process in mid-April (see Field Notes for April 2026, the April 22 entry) and used the kitchen window sill. Aerate by shaking the jar daily and opening weekly to introduce oxygen, which is essential for color development. The dye liquor turned a red-brown color within a couple of weeks and stayed that way for four months. Research indicated that it should turn to a deep magenta at some point, but that wasn't my experience. I ended the fermentation process in mid-August, after four months. The pH registered 11 (strongly alkaline).


Agitate the jar once daily, and aerate once weekly

I can see tinges of red, but the overall color is brown


Strain out the lichen solids from the fermented dye. I strained the lichen out of one of the jars, and obtained two cups (1/2 quart). The dye is definitely a brown color.


Straining the lace lichen dye liquor


Dyeing the Fabric (Alkaline)

 Dyeing fabric with lichen is very similar to dyeing with plants or mushrooms. Bring the dye bath to a simmer, pre-soak the silk or wool fabric or fiber in warm water, add the fabric to the dye pot, and simmer. One caveat is to make sure the temperature is very similar when going from one pot to another. For example, plunging cold silk into a hot dye bath causes shock shrinkage, uneven color, and weakened fibers. Better to add the cold silk to a cooled dye bath, or warm silk to a warm dye bath.

As with mushrooms, delayed rinsing improves color and light fastness. Casselman recommends that with lichen-dyed fibers, it is essential to cool the yarn before rinsing. Lichen-dyed fibers are more color and light fast if they are not rinsed for at least 24 hours; this stabilizes the dye and prevents after-dye runoff. She describes her technique for delaying rinsing in Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book (Dye Bath, page 27):

... first leave the fiber in the ammonia or boiled water dye bath to cool for 24 hours. Then, remove the fiber, place it in a colander over a pail and leave it another 24 hours. (What you collect can be reused.) After two days, rinse the fiber (which may be completely dry) in cold water. Even with dark colors, there will be very little dye run off, and your reward is improved fastness.


Strained lace lichen liquor (brown, but with a slight tinge of red


To prepare the dye bath, place the strained dye in a clean non-reactive pot. Casselman's recommendation is to add 1 cup of the dye liquor and 4 quarts of water to the pot, for one ounce of fiber. For more more intense color, use less fiber or more dye liquor. To obtain pastels, use more fiber or less dye liquor. I used just over two cups of dye liquor and 4 quarts of water to the pot (hoping to intensify whatever color I end up with)!

Casselman also recommends adding 1/2 cup (125 ml) salt to the dye bath. I haven't seen the instruction to add salt in any other source, so decided not to try it with this batch. If the idea is to use the salt as a mordant to enhance color and light fastness, my silk was pre-mordanted in alum, so should be fine without the salt.


The dye liquor has a brown-red cast to it


Bring the temperature of the dye bath to 150 to 180 °F. This typically takes about 30-60 minutes. I followed Casselman's recommendation to bring the temperature to a maximum of 180 °F (82 °C), and maintain the temperature for 10 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 160 °F (70 °C) and continue to heat gently for 1 hour, without boiling. While the dye bath is coming to temperature, pre-soak your wool or silk in warm water. This improves how the fabric takes up the dye.


Pre-soak the silk scarf in warm water


Add the fabric to the simmering dye pot and stir to distribute evenly. Add more water to cover the fabric if necessary. This will not dilute the dye; it just ensures better distribution of the dye to the fabric. Let simmer for about an hour, keeping the temperature between 150 to 180 °F. I tried to keep it at 160 °F.


Distribute the fabric in dye and simmer for an hour


Remove the dye pot from the heat, and use the delayed rinsing technique recommended by Casselman in Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book. Leave the fiber in the ammonia dye bath to cool for 24 hours. Then, remove the fiber, place it in a colander over a pail and leave it another 24 hours. (Any dye you collect can be reused.)


Letting the dye set (lace lichen alkaline dye bath)


After two days, rinse the fiber (which may be completely dry) in cold water. I ran the fabric through the washing machine to rinse, using cold water and no detergent. Hang to dry. The resulting color is a rather disappointing buff or beige. Two weeks later, wash with a mild pH-neutral soap, such as Synthropol or Professional Textile Detergent, to wash out unbound dye. Air dry out of direct sunlight. The resulting color is beige or buff.


Dyeing the Fabric (Acidic)

As mentioned above, the dye results using the lace lichen alkaline bath were disappointing (especially after all the months spent fermenting the dye bath)! This inspired me to use the rest of the dye liquor in a separate experiment, by changing the pH from alkaline to to acid [from  pH 11 (strongly alkaline) to pH 4 (moderately acid)].

I basically followed all the steps described above in "Dyeing the Fabric (Alkaline)", but altered the dye bath by adding the second jar of lace lichen dye liquor and 1 3/4 cups of white household vinegar to the dye bath. The pH registered 4 (moderately acid). Per Dorothy BeeBee in "How to Make a Natural Dye Using Lichens", Myra Made Color (June 4, 2022), when the dye bath registers pH 4, the acid releases pigment. It's unclear whether this is a universal principal or just true for Wolf Lichen.


The lace lichen acidic version already looks darker and more interesting

Letting the dye set (lace lichen acid dye bath)


After two days, rinse the fiber (which may be completely dry) in cold water. I ran the fabric through the washing machine to rinse, using cold water and no detergent. Hang to dry. The resulting color is golden brown. Two weeks later, wash with a mild pH-neutral soap, such as Synthropol or Professional Textile Detergent, to wash out unbound dye. Air dry out of direct sunlight. The resulting color is a golden brown (it looks closer to an orange in the photo, possibly because the picture was taken in the late afternoon, during golden hour).


The Results

The final results of dyeing with lace lichen included a buff or beige color for the alkaline bath (which actually has a richer tone in person than in the photo); and an interesting and complex golden brown color for the acidic bath. You can see that the color is not quite as "orange".


Left: lace lichen (fermented, alkaline dye bath)
Right: lace lichen (fermented, acidic dye bath)


I decided to store the unused acidic dye liquor for future dyeing experiments.


Store the dye for future projects

Note that I had been very disappointed to get such bland results with the fermented alkaline dye bath, but it was also exciting to change the pH of the dye bath and obtain different results with the fermented acid dye bath. This is what makes dyeing with plants, mushrooms, and now lichen, so exciting. It is an ongoing experiment and adventure!


Learn More

  • Byrd, Margaret. "How to Make Natural Dyes with Lichen". Color Quest, December 9, 2022. Good overview, which includes information about the fermentation and boiling water methods, as well as a photo-oxidization method (color emerges when fiber is removed from the ammonia dye bath, similar to how indigo dye turns from green to blue when fabric is removed from the dye bat and is exposed to oxygen). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaYI7U7ZHEU

  • Casselman, Karen Diadick. Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book (Dover Publications, 2001). Second edition of the original, published by Studio Vista Publications, 1996. This slim book is packed with information (see Lichen Dyes: The New Source Book).

  • "How to Make a Natural Dye Using Lichens". Myra Made Color (June 4, 2022). Myra uses Wolf lichen (Letharia vulpina) to dye 100% wool with no mordant, using the water boiling dye process. BeeBee made an interesting comment that when the dye bath registers pH 4, the acid releases pigment. I'm not sure if this is a universal principal or just true for Wolf lichen, but worth exploring. https://youtu.be/RUUeAX4D1uE

  • McDonnel, Zoe. "Introduction to Dyeing with Lichens", Wildcraft Dyeing (June 28, 2021). Describes what you need to know to get started natural dyeing with lichens. McDonnel discusses two types of dyeing (boiled water method and ammonia method). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8KfXIIUB_M